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Sixteen Year Old Aunt Ruthie Writes about an Election

Sixteen Year Old Aunt Ruthie Writes about an Election

by MarianBeaman | Nov 18, 2020 | blog, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Quotations

“Where have you been hiding?” I asked myself as I discovered a tiny, green volume under three other, larger diaries. Over three years ago, my sisters and I cleared out our Aunt Ruthie’s house. They agreed to my placing her diaries and journals in my suitcase, flying...
Eating from Sarah’s Tree of Life

Eating from Sarah’s Tree of Life

by MarianBeaman | Nov 11, 2020 | blog, book review, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Quotations, Uncategorized

Sarah Klassen is a Canadian poet novelist storyteller with Mennonite roots Sarah is 88 years old. Recently Sarah has published her second poetry collection, The Tree of Life, a gem of a book, glowing with color like sunlight filtered through stained glass.  ...
Memoirist Marian Joins Rave Reviews Book and Blog Party

Memoirist Marian Joins Rave Reviews Book and Blog Party

by MarianBeaman | Oct 8, 2020 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Uncategorized

 Welcome to the #RRBC “ROCKIN’ 2020 AWAY” BOOK, BLOG & TRAILER Block Party!  @martabeaman #Giveaways * * * Here’s What I’m Giving Away Today: $ 10.00 Target Gift Card Post a comment to go into the draw – Good Luck! (One winner...
Remembering Sunday Dinners, PA Dutch Style and a New Author

Remembering Sunday Dinners, PA Dutch Style and a New Author

by MarianBeaman | Sep 23, 2020 | blog, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Recipes, Uncategorized

    The tradition of Sunday dinner with guests, thriving in our Mennonite (and larger) community as late as the early 1970s, was an expression of a communal spirit. It was an equally culinary and sacramental Sabbath experience. Now, except among the Plain...
Grandpa Sam’s 80th Birthday Party

Grandpa Sam’s 80th Birthday Party

by MarianBeaman | Sep 16, 2020 | blog, Coming of Age, Family / Nostalgia, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia

Great Grandpa Sam, born in 1863, was honored with a party for his 80th birthday. My great grandfather Samuel Brinser Martin’s birthday party was even written up in the Middleton (Pennsylvania) newspaper. I don’t know whether my family was invited to the...
School Opens: Aunt Ruthie’s Diary Speaks

School Opens: Aunt Ruthie’s Diary Speaks

by MarianBeaman | Sep 2, 2020 | blog, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia

At Rheems Elementary School in Pennsylvania, classes began right after Labor Day, just like clockwork. My aunt was my teacher in the first four grades, the charms and challenges of which I describe in my memoir.   Miss Longenecker, aka my Aunt Ruthie, taught...
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